Pen Name: Bonifacio S. Raquepo

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Nagparikna babaen ti lamiis ti tanem
Ken sipnget dagiti kawaw a mata;
Ti langit kasla rukid nga awan ungpotna
A paglayagan dagiti bapor ni didigra.
Amin amin, ulimek kasla nagginnura nga agayan-ayat
A dinton agrinnukma; dagiti barukong napno iti gita;
Agngarngariet dagiti panga. Amin amin, naallingagko
Ti umuna a gansa iti daya kas natangken nga aweng
Ti pannakaparnuay, pannakaukom. Dagiti nasilap a ramay
Ikkis di masaba iti daga idatengda. Adda timek
A nadagem iti angin. Denggem dagiti kanalbuong
A mangrebba kadagiti bantay, a mangyakar kadakuada;
Am-ammok dayta a bileg a dissuor ti asupre ken apuy.
Kitaem ti lubong, sangapirit laeng a sangit, lua
A sangkatedted! Makitak itan ti maysa a pannakadadael
Ken pannakaparnuay. Wen, isu daytoyen ti pangrugian
Ken paggibusan. Adda timek iti angin, agkunkuna:
Bumangonkayon, ti dapan ti init addan iti daga!

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* Bannawag. Hulio 6, 1964
* Pamulinawen, Dandaniw, 1949-1975, Jose A. Bragado
�� ken Benjamin M. Pascual, eds.
�� Metro Manila: GUMIL Filipinas, c1976.
�
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The Foot of the Sun is Upon the Earth
(Translated by the Poet)

It made its presence felt by the chill of a tomb
And darkness of empty eye-sockets;
Heaven looked like an endless cavern
Where sailed the ships of doom.
All was silent like lovers torn by hate
Never to reconcile; breasts filled with venom;
Teeth grating. Finally I heard
The first gong beat from the east hardened into the sound
Of creation, holocaust. The flashing fingers
Brought forth to earth screams of unbearable pain. A voice
Awesome in the wind. Listen to the blast
That toppled the mountains, that moved them away;
I know that power a cascade of sulphur and fire.
Look at the world, a pinch of cry, a drop
Of tear! Now I can see destruction
And creation. Yes, this is the beginning
And the end. A voice in the wind, saying:
Arise, the foot of the sun is upon the earth!

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Posted with permission from the author.